Peace
by bluntCube
Summary: Shino stuggles in his search for peace. Sai isn't helping. ShinoxSai.


Light flooded the gaps in which the trees were parted, shimmering through the spaces between the leaves and splaying over the ground, dispersing as the trees swayed in the breeze, creating new openings, causing the light to dash around hectically. A single pair of feet strolled past, stirring the dust that blanketed the floor lightly and it dissipated, spreading itself over another layer, piling itself up until it was noticeable by the hooded figure that walked by.

"Disgusting," the man thought to himself.

A crashing sound suddenly sounded from a nearby thicket. The noise was so tremendously loud that it echoed through all the trees, appearing to come from every direction at once. This alerted the hooded man slightly. He stopped walking, preparing to listen again to identify its source, but there was no need: the source showed itself.

"Woohoo!"

A loud cry came from a figure dashing with vigorous speed throughout the numerous treetops. Shino didn't need to look at the grey blur for long to identify it as Inuzuka Kiba. He sighed, scratching at his head in irritation.

"This is not peaceful," Shino sighed. Ducking through some wildly overgrown foliage, Shino emerged in a much muddier place, albeit much more peaceful. He sought shelter from the sun's scorching rays under a tree, accepting the shadow it stretched distortedly across the ground, its form elongated. He leaned against the tree, thankful for the sudden peace and the silence. There were no sounds to be heard other than the light breathing of Shino himself.

_Scratch._

Shino flinched a little at the sudden sound, but it ceased as suddenly as it started.

_Scratch, scratch._

It sounded again, this time confirming Shino's suspicions. Shino guessed the scratching was emanating from the other side of the tree, based on its current volume.

"Who's there? I'm listening." Shino spoke with some bravado, his voice clearly cutting through the surrounding trees. It could easily be heard by anybody within a close proximity, and Shino spoke in the hope of intimidating any potential foes.

_Scratch._

Shino made a move himself, slipping surreptitiously around the tree he was resting against, finding a pale figure sat down against the tree on the other side, sat down and slouched against it. The figure held a book in one hand and a thin, worn paintbrush in the other. Beside them, a number of jars and tubs lay on the grass, each filled with inks of various colours. A few bottles lay unscrewed, their lids removed and their contents gleaming against the light, piercing through the canopy overhead in whichever ways it could find.

"Sai."

Sai seemed to pay little regard for the other, merely glancing up at him momentarily before resuming his painting. He muttered a few words under his breath.

"Hello, Shino. What brings you here?"

Shino sighed a little. He wasn't even sure why he was here, or what he was doing.

"Looking for peace, I suppose one could say."

"Sit." Sai didn't ask. He ordered the Aburame.

He still wasn't used to social situations. Shino sat on the ground next to the other, the wet mud squelching and clinging to his clothes, causing stains that he knew his mother would be livid over. He glimpsed over at the other's book, but Sai shied away, hiding its contents.

Shino saw.

"Sai. You've been drawing me. What for?"

Sai turned to face the other, and suddenly the Aburame found fascination in the way the light glinted against his pale complexion, the way he looked at him, a sort of tentative, but meaningful glance. He found fascination in the way his hair dragged along with the light breeze, and the way his body slouched so artistically.

And suddenly Shino found fascination in the sensation of the other's lips, the way they teased and nicked at Shino's, imploring for reciprocation, the way they fit so perfectly against his own. Their fingers found home interlocked in each other's, their noses grinding slightly, their teeth touching ever so gently, clicking against each other.

Sai recreated the gap between them, looking into the other's eyes almost apologetically, but begging for further response.

Shino groaned and let a sigh escape from his lips.

"This is not peaceful."

:-:


End file.
